Currently On the Road: CDL Stuck & PCS Error (1 Viewer)

[Blackford Oakes]

Hey guys. No time to thoroughly search bc I’m on the road.

Fairly new to me 2013 LC

Road a mild trail today. Tested 4lo and CDL before hitting the trail. Everything engaged and disengaged as it should have. Hit some wet ruts but nothing very wet. I hear a ding (looking back on it this was the seat belt chime) and saw a Christmas tree on the dash pictured. Never locked the CDL on the trial. Check PCS System error is present and center diff is definitely locked will not disengage.

Cleaned PCS sensor, drove in circles to try to pop CDL off. Nothing.

Can I drive 65 miles home with CDL? Any other tips to get this unlocked.

Thanks guys.

 

[tbisaacs]

Disconnect the battery for 5-10 min and try again.

Do you have a code reader?

 

[Fisher23]

I would get it out of 4-low first. I reverse and while rolling put in neutral, same going forward.
No i do not think it is ok to drive it like that on pavement.

 

[Blackford Oakes]

I’m not in low currently, but it feels like the CDL is locked when I turn. Trying to get to a spot to disconnect the battery.

I’ve tried reverse and still locked.

No code reader.

 

[tacoduck]

I would get it out of 4-low first. I reverse and while rolling put in neutral, same going forward.
No i do not think it is ok to drive it like that on pavement.

I mean, a locked CDL is fine going in a straight line. I wouldn’t want to do a lot of 3 point turns, but I’d drive home if I had to. 4 low on the other hand is a deal breaker.

 

[TeCKis300]

Agreed with @tbisaacs this is going to be OPs best bet to resolving the immediate issue. A 10mm socket, box wrench, or pliers to undo the negative terminal for a few mins should do it. I forget if LCs have a factory tool box in the tailgate as LXs do?

Might help to understand this is not likely a mechanical issue in the transfer case. It's usually an electro-mechanical issue with the actuators. The internal micro-switches and wiper switches are in an error state because of corrosion that has built up on the contacts.

The long term remedy for this is to replace the actuators. Or a repair procedure to clean the corrosion on the contacts. Exercising these mechanisms can help, but it won't permanently resolve the intermittent issues.

Transfer Case Tuneup and Fix

Transfer case actuator issues are not uncommon on the 200-series. Not much documented solutions other than exercising the mechanisms regularly. Here's my attempt to provide more information on where and what the actuator is, how to service the transfer case actuator motor, and potentially...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Blackford Oakes]

Thanks guys. I have my tools.

Just disconnected the battery for 10 mins and reconnected. Same errors: Check PCS system error, ABS, ! triangle, TRAC square and blinking CDL.

I have not tried going in reverse and popping into neutral. Will do that now.

Do we think it’s safe to drive home 73 miles? Should I keep it under a certain speed?

Edit to add… if Lo was engaged, the LO light would be on, correct?

 

[Fisher23]

Blinking CDL does not mean the CDL is locked. It just means it has an issue locking or unlocking.

My CLD will sometimes blinks then after a 1/4 mile if I turn it off and turn it back on the blinking goes away.
You can feel if it's locked when you make turns by the way it drives.
If it's just blinking and not locked it's fine to drive it.

The forward and reverse seem to work for me.

 

[Blackford Oakes]

If feels like it’s engaged when I turn. I think I can feel the wheel traction skip.

 

[tacoduck]

My wife drove around for a week with the CDL locked on our 100. It didn’t hurt anything.

 

[grinchy]

Your symptoms are more in line with water ingress than faulty actuation.

You might consider pulling the door trim and checking for wet carpet or water low on the a pillars. All the main electrical junctions as there (both sides), in the 2x2 square plug boxes.

I’ve never had 4lo or CDL engage accidentally/from a short but that three light pattern is very common and can be a bunch of stuff, and CDL is not engaged. I don’t think I’ve ever had CDL stuck on without the light solid.

If you take turns gingerly and try to avoid dry tight turns, even if CdL is somehow on you should be fine.

I’d go 15 min on the battery disconnect as well.

 

[Fisher23]

grinchy knows more about these LC's than I do .. so like he said you'll likely be OK as long as you avoid tight turns.

Likely more ok if the roads are wet and slick. I would take the back dirt roads home myself if possible.

 

[Blackford Oakes]

Thanks guys. On the highway now - no way to avoid it.

Having owned 200s for a handful of years I’ve read lots about the water entry related issues. I will say that this thing stays garaged and we haven’t had rain in about 10 days. I’ll pull the trim and check the connections by the driver kick panel. I guess I just wish that I could convince myself that my CDL is not engaged. Any indication while driving straight at highway speeds?

Pulled into Auto Zone and their code reader was not working.

I’m going to disconnect the battery for a while when I get home and see what happens. May have to go to the dealership tomorrow (ugh).

 

[bloc]

The only time any abnormal load is on the driveline with the CDL locked is when you are taking a tight turn on a high-traction surface. Basically if you can feel it, it's loading up. But even then it is unlikely to actually cause any damage.. these things are stout.

I would have zero issue driving home with it like that, but I'd do my best to avoid tight maneuvering such as into/out of parking spaces or fuel pumps that require backing/turning. Just try to spot out parking places that you can pull in and pull through. Imagine you have a large trailer, if you will.

As for fixing it.. I agree with Teckis, this is probably a microswitch somewhere. You won't like the dealer's solution, if so.

 

[sleepycruiser]

I don’t have any technical expertise to add, but everyone needs one of these. I leave mine hooked up all the time. It even shows you previous solutions that could potentially be the issue and links to parts once to run the codes. Has an app and makes it all very easy. You can also see when the last time the CEL was cleared which is helpful when purchasing.

BlueDriver Bluetooth Pro OBD2 Car Diagnostic Scan Tool & Check Engine Light Code Reader for iPhone & Android https://a.co/d/4BpIAzi

Good luck!!

 

[grinchy]

Hit some wet ruts but nothing very wet. I hear a ding and saw a Christmas tree on the dash pictured.

So you weren’t in a water exposure situation? If not it’s probably an emissions code or similar.

grinchy knows more about these LC's than I do .. so like he said you'll likely be OK as long as you avoid tight turns.

I’m not expert. I have had a sticky CDL though, this doesn’t sound at all like that.

 

[Blackford Oakes]

Edit: posted the wrong photo initially. Current is the current cluster situation. CDL is blinking. Cruise Control not functioning. I did wipe the radar clean when I cleaned the front-facing surface of the PCS sensor.

 

[Blackford Oakes]

So you weren’t in a water exposure situation? If not it’s probably an emissions code or similar.

Went thru small amount of water/ice at slow speed today. The undercarriage of the truck was not wet - only the wheels and brakes.

 

[Fisher23]

Maybe mud .. check this thread.

Check PCS system - no 4LO

ran some muddy roads today and had an issue. Tried to drop into 4LO and dash lit up. See pics. Never went into low and disabled lots of stuff. Cut the truck off and back on and it cleared. Tried again, same results. Did some googling and apparently this isn’t uncommon on newer trucks w the...

forum.ih8mud.com

Before I went to a dealer I would order a blue tooth code reader off amazon they are cheep and read and clear the codes.

 

[Blackford Oakes]

Maybe mud .. check this thread.

Thanks Fisher. Good thought, but I’ve cleaned the PCS sensor.

I’d go 15 min on the battery disconnect as well.

I disconnected for 30 minutes and am getting the same dash lights. Should I go longer?